Atoms for Prosperity: ITA Leads Largest Ever U.S. Industry Delegation to 6th Annual U.S. Industry Program at the International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference

October 30, 2013

Chandra Brown is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Manufacturing.

Deputy Assistant Secretary Chandra Brown and other U.S. government officials with the industry delegation at the USA: Atoms for Prosperity Exhibit.

In September, I led a delegation of twenty-seven U.S. companies and organizations to the U.S. Industry Program at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference in Vienna, Austria. The program helped U.S. civil nuclear companies showcase their world-class technology to foreign government decision makers and energy policymakers from around the world.

It was an important event to support U.S. businesses in a growing industry. The global civil nuclear market is estimated to be worth about $850 billion by 2020, which creates significant export opportunities for U.S. companies.

Throughout the program, I met with senior foreign government delegations, IAEA officials and international energy policymakers to highlight the benefits of U.S. nuclear technologies and how they can help countries meet their civil nuclear energy goals.

The companies had some 100 meetings with potential foreign government customers of civil nuclear energy products and technologies. These meetings enabled companies to highlight the benefits offered by U.S. civil nuclear companies and encourage market-friendly policies.

Company representatives also met with our civil nuclear trade specialists to learn about sales opportunities and Commerce Department services to help them win export sales.

The theme of this year’s U.S. Industry Program was “Atoms for Prosperity,” which captures the civil nuclear industry’s economic benefits as well as the United States’ commitment to the safe and secure expansion of nuclear energy for peaceful uses. This year marks the 50th anniversary of President Eisenhower’s 1953 speech, “Atoms for Peace.”

Several senior U.S. government officials also supported the event, including Department of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, Nuclear Regulatory Commission Executive Director Mark Satorius, White House Director for Nuclear Energy Policy Joyce Connery, and other officials from the Departments of Energy, State and the U.S. Export-Import Bank.

I am proud to have been part of such a distinguished industry delegation to Vienna to demonstrate before a global audience the U.S. Government’s strong support for its industry. This event is the first of many that will showcase the U.S. civil nuclear industry’s world-class technologies and services and help create jobs in the United States, while expanding our civil nuclear cooperation with other countries.